Baseball: WSU vs Louisiana Tech - Mar 6,7,8

[Shockerman]

We are going to have a mid season slide at some point thanks to having anemic bullpen so my hopes aren't up either. However, I have followed the live stats of almost every game, listened to 4 games on the radio (app), and have now watched one on ESPN +. That means I have listened to more Shocker baseball this year already than the last 3 years combined. I don't expect miracles this year and don't expect us to finish better than 5th in conference. With that said it's been damn fun following Wedge's team. The kids have bought in and it shows in their effort. It was the missing ingredient on most of Butler's team and it made it miserable to follow Shocker baseball.

[Aargh]

I think the Shox would have lost this game with Butler in the dugout. How many times did the relief pitchers get out of bases loaded jams without giving up any runs last year? The bull pen is still shaky, but there seems to be a little more of something - whether that's confidence, a willingness to battle, or something else I don't know.

Wedge didn't really have any significant time to recruit, so this year's team is pretty much the same as last year's team. The competition hasn't been much, but last year the Shox were giving up double-digit runs to dompetition that wasn't much.

I think the "Wedge Effect" is being seen. The bone headed mistakes that were common last year seem to have decreased. It might not happen this year, but I believe a return to respectability is on the way. Last year, it didn't seem there was much difference when Pelfrey became the pitching coach. There is still the level of competition to consider this year, but the pitching seems to be significantly improved.

[WuDrWu]

I'm not sure our bullpen is as poor as a few have claimed. the 3 walks and 2 HBP today were unusual, but in 4 innings of relief they only gave up 2 hits. Haase was 92-94 on the gun today. Stumpy has been solid, Bechtel too, and Foster Gifford has 7 appearances, 1 inning each time and has yet to surrender a run.

In fact, 8 of the 13 active pitchers have ERAs under 1.65.

[DJShocker10]

I'm not sure our bullpen is as poor as a few have claimed. the 3 walks and 2 HBP today were unusual, but in 4 innings of relief they only gave up 2 hits. Haase was 92-94 on the gun today. Stumpy has been solid, Bechtel too, and Foster Gifford has 7 appearances, 1 inning each time and has yet to surrender a run.

In fact, 8 of the 13 active pitchers have ERAs under 1.65.

Our bullpen has thus far been very good at working itself out of jams. It’s also gotten us into some sketchy situations as well. That will burn us at some point. It’s all just a matter of if we’re currently living within the norm or the outlier.

[WuDrWu]

I don't disagree at all. Time always will tell. But I like what Shane said on the radio recently, at some point you're going to have say, okay, let's take this one game at time guys.

[pogo]

Agree with everyone's sentiments. Its been a very long time since we have had good fielding and solid starting pitching. I like these guys that throw to the plate mentality. As well, besides the pick off at second base and running through a stop sign the base running is nice.

[pogo]

I do believe this is the most activity in the Baseball forum in the last 3-4 years.

[Aargh]

I do believe this is the most activity in the Baseball forum in the last 3-4 years.

Probably be the most paid admissions in the last 3-4 years too.

[ShockTalk]

I do believe this is the most activity in the Baseball forum in the last 3-4 years.

Positive activity anyway.

[1972Shocker]

Today is a day where perhaps a bit steeper launch angle could payoff but sometimes when you try to lift the ball it can lead to less than desirable results. I can't imagine the pitchers will. want to put anything over the inside half of the plate to right handed hitters today or on the outside half of the plate to lefthanded hitters. If they go to that side of the plate they will probably try to stay just off the plate. Hitters need to be looking for that and adjust accordingly.

The wind could play some havoc in the field today as well. One thing you won't want to do as a fielder is give up on any pop flies to the rights side that look like they are out of play. Also would be a good day to avoid free passes. Anyone who gets on base will be in scoring position.

Now if Garrett Kocis is able to launch one of his moonshots to left today it might make it to Kechi.

[WichitaStateGuy]

Just a little irritated I can't find the classic WSU baseball hat anywhere online. Settled for the below... Still, pretty damn fresh looking.

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[1972Shocker]

I have to say I am not quite as down on our relief pitching as a number of posters seem to be. Yes the bullpen has had a major implosion in Game 1 of the Northwestern State series and no one, starter or reliever, really pitched all that well in the 19-10 win over Hofstra.

In the Shocks other 11 games Shocker relief pitchers have given up a total of 6 runs (5 earned runs) in 46.2 innings of work. Granted the bullpen gave us a bit of heartburn with the walks and hit batters yesterday but they also took care of their mess without any damage. Excluding the two games mentioned above the bullpen has an ERA of 0.96. Unlikely that will be sustainable over the long haul but I find it hard to complain about that at this point.

Hopefully, I didn't just jinx them.

[DUShock]

What is the channel for today’s game? It is all KU crap.

EDIT: 1330 am

[Cdizzle]

Reminder that it's 1330 AM today

[Kung Wu]

We are going to have a mid season slide at some point thanks to having anemic bullpen so my hopes aren't up either.

We definitely should have some ups and downs as our kids have to start handling adversity _the right way_. (We've had plenty of adversity the past several years, but just didn't know how to handle it). That said, why do you think our bullpen is anemic? Other than the one fiasco against Northwestern in their very first game, I am not seeing that.